This invention relates to simple and inexpensive deodorizing equipment, and is particularly useful in commercial and public washrooms, restrooms, showers, and the like where the deodorizing of such public facilities becomes a severe problem. The apparatus of this invention simply attaches to the existing hot air hand dryers without installation costs or further expense. Although bathroom or washroom deodorizing is not a particular problem in the private home, it does become a significant problem with respect to public or commercial washrooms because of the large traffic and usage. Consequently, it is a common practice in most public and commercial restrooms and washrooms to provide some sort of deodorizing system. The most commonly used type of deodorizing systems are deodorizing sources manufactured in a vaporizable gel form so that when they are exposed to the air they evaporate or sublime, and the deodorizing vapor is distributed throughout the air. These gel type deodorizers are typically simply laid in the bottom of a public urinal or hung over the side of a toilet. In addition, there are deodorizing systems which include means to increase the air flow pass the gel product to increase the vaporization process. To this end, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,848 issued to Charles James Corris on Nov. 9, 1976. According to this patent, there is disclosed a system which induces air flow pass the gel type deodorizer and into the environment. The system uses a cartridge or gel source supported by a pourous container along with an energy such as a battery. A small fan suitable for being driven by the battery is contained in a housing such that an air flow is created up through the pourous container pass the vaporizable deodorizing gel, pass the fan and out a top grating. Thus, an air flow is created such that the vaporizable deodorant is dispersed throughout the room. The deodorizing system such as that described in the Corris patent, also typically includes a timing source such that the fan is operated only for a short period of time at regular intervals. Unfortunately, this type of room deodorizer may be operating in the middle of the night when there is no use of the restroom or washroom and may be off during periods of maximum traffic through the washroom. Furthermore, the use of batteries to drive such systems becomes quite an expense over a period of time. Finally, such systems are usually somewhat fragile and those mounted to the wall of a public restroom are commonly destroyed or vandalized. However, it will be appreciated that even without the cost of the battery, or the exposure to vandalism and the like, the room deodorizer simply will not always operate when it is needed.
To this end, referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,008 by M. J. Dryer there is shown a room deodorizer which does operates on somewhat of an as needed basis. According to this patent, a fan and deodorizing unit is attached to the side of a standard or paper cloth hand towel dispenser. Rotation of the roll of toweling winds a spring which in turn activates an impellar. The container on the side of the hand towel dispenser also includes a vaporizable deodorant material such that air flow is drawn pass the deodorizing material by the small impellar and out the exhaust port at the top. Thus, it will be appreciated that the more the hand towel dispenser is used the more deodorizer provided. However, it will also be appreciated that the impellar gearing mechanism and springs and other mechanical devices necessary to operate this system will be expensive; and further, the small amount of air flow created in such a manner simply cannot be completely effective for deodorizing a large public restroom or washroom.
In many public restrooms and washrooms today, it is becoming more and more common to find hot air hand dryers. These dryers expell a significant volume of air and have electrical heating elements which heat the air to a high temperature before directing it out of an exhaust port for purposes of drying a persons hands or face. The use of these hot air dryers is becoming more and more prevalent as they require less maintenance and attention than towels. Furthermore, they create no disposal problems. It is anticipated, that in the future such hot air dryers will substantially replace the paper and cloth hand towels now provided in most public and commercial restrooms and washrooms. Although the most common hot air hand dryers simply includes a motor which drives a large squirrel cage blower to move a large portion of air, it will be appreciated that any type of air source may be used such as a compressed air source described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,535 issued to J. W. Carlson on Nov. 11, 1958.